Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Frank Pushes Back at Idiot Protester

One of the most frustrating things to watch the past month has been the absolute idiocy of my fellow citizens at the various town halls discussing health care reform. Rather than reasoned discourse, too many folks have tried to shout down their elected representatives -- esp. those in favor of health care reform.

For example, at the town hall in Dartmouth, MA, last night featuring Rep. Barney Frank, members of the LaRouche (as in political whacko Lyndon LaRouche) Political Action Committee displayed a giant poster of President Obama with a Hitler mustache.

Then, a woman with the Committee asked Frank, why he continued "to support Nazi policy."

I guess that it never dawned on the woman that Rep. Frank is Jewish. I don't know many Jewish people who have been in support of Nazi policies.

I have been waiting for someone to push back at this crap. Last night, Barney Frank did.

Frank went off on the woman: "When you ask me that question, I revert to my ethnic heritage and answer your question with a question: On what planet do you spend most of your time?"

After some applause, Frank continued, "You stand there with a picture of the president defamed to look like Hitler. My answer is that it's a tribute to the First Amendment that such vile, contemptible nonsense can be so freely propagated."

When the woman started to protest that she wanted to continue to dialogue with Frank, he refused: "Trying to have a conversation with you is like arguing with a dining room table."

Finally, some pushback. Let's hope that other Representatives and Senators will call out those who are more interested in spreading misinformation than engaging in serious debate.